Publications (4)15.06 Total impact
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Article: Enhanced Rho-Kinase Activity in Patients With Vasospastic Angina After the Great East Japan Earthquake.
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ABSTRACT: Background: It remains unclear whether disease activity of vasospastic angina (VSA) is altered during a disaster. Methods and Results: Before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake, we examined Rho-kinase activity in circulating neutrophils of 11 VSA patients and their mental stress with the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) questionnaire. Rho-kinase activity was significantly increased at 6 months after the Earthquake, and was returned to baseline level at 12 months. Importantly, percent change in Rho-kinase activity was significantly correlated with the PTSD score. Conclusions: These results indicate that the Rho-kinase activity of VSA patients was transiently enhanced associated with disaster-related mental stress.Circulation Journal 11/2012; · 3.77 Impact Factor -
Article: Urbanization, life style changes and the incidence/in-hospital mortality of acute myocardial infarction in Japan: report from the MIYAGI-AMI Registry Study.
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ABSTRACT: It remains to be examined whether urbanization and lifestyle changes are associated with the incidence and mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Japan. A total of 19,921 AMI patients (male/female 14,290/5,631) registered by the MIYAGI-AMI Registry Study from 1988 to 2009 were divided into 2 groups according to their residences; inside (urban area, n=7,316) and outside (rural area, n=11,402) of Sendai City. From 1988 to 2009, the incidence of AMI (/100,000 persons/year) increased more rapidly in the rural area (24.2 to 51.4) than in the urban area (31.3 to 40.8) (P<0.001), with rapid aging in both areas. Moreover, from 1998 to 2009, the age-adjusted incidence of AMI in young (<44 years) and middle-aged (45-64 years) male patients (both P<0.05) in the rural area increased significantly, along with a markedly increased prevalence of dyslipidemia (P<0.001). Although in-hospital mortality from AMI decreased in both areas over the last 20 years (both P<0.001), it remained relatively higher in female than in male patients and was associated with higher age of the onset, longer elapsing time for admission and lower prevalence of primary coronary intervention in female patients in both areas. These results demonstrate that urbanization and lifestyle changes have been associated with the incidence and mortality from AMI, although sex differences still remain to be improved.Circulation Journal 02/2012; 76(5):1136-44. · 3.77 Impact Factor -
Article: Long-term treatment with eicosapentaenoic acid ameliorates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in pigs in vivo. -Involvement of Rho-kinase pathway inhibition-.
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ABSTRACT: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), the major n-3 fatty acid in fish oil, exerts cardioprotective effects against ischemic heart disease; however, the detailed mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Rho-kinase plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases including ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Thus, the hypothesis that long-term EPA treatment ameliorates myocardial I/R injury through Rho-kinase pathway inhibition in pigs in vivo was investigated. Male pigs were treated with either a control chow or EPA (600·mg·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹) for 3 weeks (n=8 each) and were subjected to myocardial ischemia by 90-min occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery and subsequent 60-min reperfusion. The EPA group had an increased EPA level in red blood cells (4.4 ± 0.3mol%). The EPA treatment significantly ameliorated myocardial I/R injury, including regional wall motion abnormality (EPA 5.3 ± 3.6 vs. control 35.1 ± 3.8 unit, P<0.0001), left ventricular ejection fraction (EPA 43 ± 9% vs. control 32 ± 7%, P<0.05), occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias (EPA 181 ± 73 vs. control 389 ± 51 events, P<0.0001) and histological accumulation of inflammatory cells (P<0.01). Importantly, the EPA treatment significantly inhibited myocardial Rho-kinase activity (assessed by the extent of the myosin-binding subunit phosphorylation) (EPA 0.47 ± 0.11 vs. control 0.77 ± 0.14, P<0.05) and preserved myocardial eNOS activity (EPA 0.56 ± 0.13 vs. control 0.23 ± 0.07, P<0.01) with a significant correlation noted between them. Long-term treatment with EPA ameliorates I/R injury partly through Rho-kinase pathway inhibition in vivo.Circulation Journal 05/2011; 75(8):1843-51. · 3.77 Impact Factor -
Article: Double-blind and placebo-controlled study of the effectiveness and safety of extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy for severe angina pectoris.
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ABSTRACT: Low-energy shock wave (SW) therapy has improved myocardial ischemia in both a porcine model and in patients with severe angina pectoris. To further confirm the effectiveness and safety of SW therapy, 8 patients with severe angina pectoris were treated with SW therapy in a double-blind, placebo-controlled and cross-over manner. SW therapy, but not placebo, significantly improved chest pain symptoms and cardiac function without any complications or adverse effects. Extracorporeal cardiac SW therapy is an effective, safe and non-invasive therapeutic option for severe angina pectoris.Circulation Journal 03/2010; 74(3):589-91. · 3.77 Impact Factor
